Has Beats Audio dragged down HTC?

[deputc26]

HTC has done quite poorly this last year despite having a well-reviewed world-class product. While I think most will agree that there are multiple factors, I'm wondering if anyone else here sees the Beats Audio push as having a huge opportunity cost. If HTC had instead made the One X waterproof, for instance, I think that would have been a much better way to differentiate their product and I think this would have given them sales within a couple multiples of the GS3. Anyone here see significant value in Beats?

 

[Fire&Blood]

BA has little to do with HTC's problems. Samsung and lack of design oomph IMO.

 

[postmortemIA]

And lack of repeat customers. I will for sure not buy another product from them. Mainly, because lack of support (read: one software update in 14 months)

 

[wirednuts]

i like htc. i have had a few of their phones ever since wm5 days. they make some dud phones, but so does samsung. stick with their flagship models and you wont go wrong.

currently LOVING my sensation. best htc ive ever had no doubt...

 

[lothar]

No signature devices along with a lack of marketing is what dragged down HTC.
I see that they still haven't learned their lesson.

 

[Jodell88]

No signature devices along with a lack of marketing is what dragged down HTC.
I see that they still haven't learned their lesson.

The HTC One X is the best looking phone of the last year IMO. Yeah, marketing sucks.

 

[vi edit]

HTC has absolutely zero marketing that isn't done by the carriers. And even then the carriers rarely (Verizon is worse) even mention that it's an HTC brand.

Just think about the DNA. The marketing that Verizon does for that just say "Droid DNA". No mention of HTC. HTC has not done what Apple and Samsung have done and create a brand and product line that is widely recognized. People don't want to be inundated with choices. They want simple options and will usually upgrade to the next version of that device the next time assuming it isn't total crap.

Apple keeping the iPhone and Samsung moving to a simple branding on the Galaxy S phones has been their ace up the sleeve.

 

[ImDonly1]

And lack of repeat customers. I will for sure not buy another product from them. Mainly, because lack of support (read: one software update in 14 months)

According the Ars Technica HTC is the best at updates.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/the-checkered-slow-history-of-android-handset-updates/

HTC's problems are:
1. Samsung
2. Lack of removable battery, SD card, locked bootloaders.

I have seen quite a few people One X and One S, but they are not really hyped by the online/phone community like Samsung is because of the above reasons. The Galaxy S3 is mainstream, many non-tech people know about it.

IMO, I like the design of the One X and think it looks better than the S3.

 

[Mopetar]

HTC has absolutely zero marketing that isn't done by the carriers. And even then the carriers rarely (Verizon is worse) even mention that it's an HTC brand.

Yeah. I recall reading an article that Samsung spent around $4 billion this year for advertising (and something above $10 billion for total marketing). I can't think of the last time I saw any ad for an HTC phone.

I also think that sticking with the EVO for too long really hurt them. There was a time when they were just pushing out tired rehashes of that phone, along with a lot of other unimpressive devices. A friend of mine owned a Thunderbolt for a while and hated it so thoroughly that he'd rather not buy from them again.

 

[s44]

Just think about the DNA. The marketing that Verizon does for that

is incredibly creepy. Who wants their phone to be implanting them with Reaper tech?

According the Ars Technica HTC is the best at updates.

C'mon, this has been refuted a bunch of times here already.

 

[lothar]

According the Ars Technica HTC is the best at updates.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/the-checkered-slow-history-of-android-handset-updates/

HTC's problems are:
1. Samsung
2. Lack of removable battery, SD card, locked bootloaders.

I have seen quite a few people One X and One S, but they are not really hyped by the online/phone community like Samsung is because of the above reasons.

Ars Technica only evaluated US devices.
Which HTC(US or international) phone got an OS update before Samsung international phones on Gingerbread, ICS, and JB?
Either Samsung hates USA or it's our carriers that are intentionally gimping the updates. I am more inclined to believe the later.

Ask anyone in Europe or Asia and they will laugh at that analysis.
For the USA market of carrier subsidized phones, I don't doubt that Ars Technica's analysis is probably true.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

My last 2 phones have been HTC, the HD2 and now a One X.. I've been pretty satisfied with everything they've given me. I originally went to buy the Galaxy S3 but walked away with the One X because it felt better in my hands and seemed like it was of a higher build quality; which is all subjective though.

Really their problem like people have said above is... marketing... the One X and S (and X+ ??) are all awesome phones that are extremely well built, they just aren't recognizable to people.

 

[lothar]

The HTC One X is the best looking phone of the last year IMO. Yeah, marketing sucks.

Really? Even better than the One X+ that was released last year?

So, is the One X their signature line of last year or was it the One X+?
With Samsung, there is no such conundrum. Everyone knows the Galaxy S brand.

 

[badb0y]

Really? Even better than the One X+ that was released last year?

So, is the One X their signature line of last year or was it the One X+?
With Samsung, there is no such conundrum. Everyone knows the Galaxy S brand.

The locked bootloader and the release of One X+ really turned me off from HTC.

 

[Dari]

HTC needs to step up their marketing and brand strategy. Otherwise, they'll be lost in a sea of smartphones.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

From the general public, people recognize the Galaxy brand. People don't ask "oh is that the new android?" They ask is that the new galaxy. Probably the only exception is Verizon's droid brand.

 

[Crono]

Beats audio is a good feature. I don't give a damn about a waterproof phone, and I'm willing to bet that's a tiny niche market.

I'm bidding on a HTC 8X right now on ebay. I listen to a lot of music and the reviews I've looked at say the audio quality is pretty good on the 8X. Beats alone isn't a huge factor in my purchase, but it's definitely a plus.

I like HTC. No, they aren't as flashy as other brands, but their phones are solid as far as build quality and their specs are competitive. I currently have a HTC Trophy and can't find a single thing to complain about it, except maybe the chrome accent has worn off a bit on the phone. Not exactly surprising considering I don't use a case and don't baby it (tons of drops, too).

If anything is dragging down HTC it's probably what others have pointed out: lack of marketing and a standout line/phone. HTC makes a ton of models with too many names to remember. Meanwhile, Samsung has built a ton of buzz (a lot of it deserved) about it's Galaxy S phones.

 

[foghorn67]

Minimalism is in, and their crap UI is cartoonish, redundant, and out of date.
Seriously the buttons for buttons is maddening stupid.

Too bad, the One X is a beautiful phone.

 

[Sheep]

I don't know what happened to "Quietly Brilliant" which could have been the foundation for a good ad campaign, but I'm pretty certain I haven't seen an HTC ad in at least a year. Like it or not advertising matters.

 

[Crono]

I don't know what happened to "Quietly Brilliant" which could have been the foundation for a good ad campaign, but I'm pretty certain I haven't seen an HTC ad in at least a year. Like it or not advertising matters.

That kind of slogan is pretty much the only one you couldn't use in marketing without sounding like a hypocrite. Except maybe "We don't advertise", which would probably be a little more blatant and worse.

 

[lothar]

The locked bootloader and the release of One X+ really turned me off from HTC.

In 4 months, they will release the One X++ or the One X2 to compete with the Galaxy S4.

If people are offended about Apple's release schedule on the iPad 3 and 4, then those same people should be upset about HTC'S release schedule with the One X series.

 

[smakme7757]

And lack of repeat customers. I will for sure not buy another product from them. Mainly, because lack of support (read: one software update in 14 months)

Same reason why i jumped shit. A HTC product only lasts until the next top model is released. Super poor OTA updates from HTC.

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

Same reason why i jumped shit. A HTC product only lasts until the next top model is released. Super poor OTA updates from HTC.

Likewise, won't be buying HTC again.

 

[bearxor]

The last HTC phone I used that I liked was the PPC-6600. And that was kind of because there just wasn't a lot of choice back then. That all changed with the release of the PPC-6700.

HTC since then has always divided me. Brilliant (usually) hardware with piss poor software implementation.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

But the bootloaders got unlocked fast? The One X got unlocked and got ROMs on it.

You guys act like Samsung is some sort of awesome company or something? Sure they hired Cyanogen himself, but have any of you followed development for the i9300 or i9100? It was nearly impossible to get butter running on JellyBean. Not to mention there were issues like memleak that plagued the CM builds forever. Only until recently did Samsung's released drivers and sources start helping out, and even then it's nothing like the HTC Qualcomm devices which are far easier to develop for or Sony's devices which are nearly reference.

Anyway, I think the locked bootloader is just meh. It's nice to have an unlocked bootloader, but that's not why the company is sinking.

As for marketing, there's close to none in the US, but in Asia, I saw huge billboards and buildings plastered with Incredible S and Sensation ads. I've seen less with the HTC One series though surprisingly, but there's still some presence. To be honest though, dilution through the introduction of too many models is the big thing hurting them. Samsung built up the Galaxy S to iPhone status. HTC failed to do so with their flagship.

In the US marketing is a bigger issue for HTC. Not only do they have very few ads, they let the carriers rip them apart. Verizon basically killed HTC's phones by making sure they have Droid Incredible in front of them. While Samsung has been able to promote the Galaxy S3 as ONE phone across all carriers, HTC cannot do the same. There's Evo, Droid Incredible, and One on AT&T. They bent over hard for the US carriers using the old model of carrier exclusive phones and got screwed.